The new Country Music Hall of Fame class was announced Monday, including the legendary Toby Keith, weeks after he died at age 62.
Sarah Trahern, CEO of the Country Music Association, revealed during Monday’s announcement that voting results came in on Feb. 6, one day after Keith’s death from stomach cancer.
Trahern added at the ceremony, “My heart sank… knowing we had missed the opportunity to notify Toby while he was still with us.”
She added: ‘But I have no doubt he’s smiling down on us, knowing he’ll always be ‘as good as he ever was’, referring to Keith’s 2005 hit As Good As I Once Was.
Keith will be joined in this latest Country Music Hall of Fame class alongside John Anderson and guitarist James Burton.
The new Country Music Hall of Fame class was announced Monday, including the legendary Toby Keith, weeks after he died at age 62.
Sarah Trahern, CEO of the Country Music Association, revealed during Monday’s announcement that voting results came in on February 6, one day after Keith’s death from stomach cancer.
Trahern added during the ceremony: “My heart sank… knowing we had missed the opportunity to inform Toby while he was still with us.”
Keith will be joined in this latest Country Music Hall of Fame class alongside John Anderson (left) and guitarist James Burton (center)
The singer – who has 32 #1 singles to his name throughout an illustrious career – is already a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame (2015) and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (2021).
His 26-year-old son Stelen Keith Covel attended the ceremony and told People that the Country Music Hall of Fame “was always something on a checklist of a lot of things he knew he would accomplish in his life.”
Trahern added that she waited 10 days after his death before contacting his manager TK Kimbrel and then Keith’s widow Tricia Lucus.
“I was with my mother when we found out he was going to be inducted, and it was relatively difficult to process at the time, but we handled it pretty well,” Covel said.
While Toby’s son said it was “bittersweet,” he added, “It’s deserved.” We all know he deserved it. We’re glad he’s here, and we’re excited for him.”
Trahern added that the vote closed three days before Keith’s death, adding that she cried when she learned he would not be able to know the outcome.
She added that no one at the Country Music Association knew how close to death Keith was at the time.
“For a while there was a bit of, ‘Oh my God, what a difference a day would make,'” she said.
The singer – who has amassed 32 No. 1 singles throughout an illustrious career – is already a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame (2015) and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (2021).
His 26-year-old son Stelen Keith Covel attended the ceremony and told People that the Country Music Hall of Fame “was always something on a checklist of a lot of things he knew he would accomplish in his life.”
While Toby’s son said it was “bittersweet,” he added, “It’s deserved.” We all know he deserved it. We’re happy he’s here, and we’re excited for him.”
Keith was chosen in the Modern Era category, while Anderson was chosen in the Veteran Era category and Burton was chosen in the Recording and/or Touring Musician category
“But he will be here (in the Hall of Fame), whether it would be this year or in two years,” she added.
Keith was chosen in the Modern Era category, while Anderson was chosen in the Veteran Era and Burton was chosen in the Recording And/Or Touring Musician category.
Keith, Anderson and Burton will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame during a ceremony in October.
The Country Music Hall of Fame was founded in 1961, with Hank Williams, Fred Rose and Jimmy Rodgers inducted in 2023, with Patty Loveless, Tanya Tucker and Bob McDill inducted.